Liverpool Fans Are Being Far Too Harsh On Wirtz, Barcola And Isak
I understand why Liverpool supporters are frustrated. I really do.
When your football club spends the sort of money we’ve spent on players like Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola, you’re entitled to expect something special.
You’re entitled to want performances. You’re entitled to demand goals, assists and moments that justify the investment.
Read more: Craig’s Column: Liverpool Cannot Give Virgil Van Dijk Another £400,000-A-Week Contract
But I think we’ve reached a point where some of the criticism being directed at these players has become unfair.
And I’m particularly concerned about the way certain sections of our fanbase are judging Barcola.
We had this conversation on Anfield Agenda last night, and 62% of those who voted in our poll agreed that the criticism of Liverpool’s big-money signings has been too harsh.
I’m with them.
That doesn’t mean these players are beyond criticism. Far from it. I’ve been critical of plenty of Liverpool players when I don’t think they’ve performed.
But there has to be some perspective.
We’re talking about footballers adapting to a new environment, a new manager and, in some cases, an entirely different league.
I think we’ve forgotten how difficult that can be.
Bradley Barcola Deserves Time At Liverpool
Of the three players we’re discussing, the criticism of Barcola frustrates me the most.
The lad has barely got through the door.
He’s arrived without a proper pre-season, he’s adapting to English football, and he’s trying to establish himself in a Liverpool team that has undergone significant changes.
What exactly were people expecting?
That he’d arrive, immediately become one of the best wingers in the Premier League and deliver match-winning performances every weekend?
Come on.
I want Barcola to succeed because I can see the qualities he brings to this team.
He’s quick, he’s direct, and he gives us something that I felt we desperately lacked at times last season.
We’ve spent long enough complaining about Liverpool not having enough pace in wide areas.
Now we’ve brought somebody in who possesses that attribute, and some supporters are already questioning whether he’s good enough.
I find that baffling.
I’m not saying he’s been outstanding. I’m not pretending every performance has been brilliant.
But I am saying it’s far too early to make sweeping judgements about his Liverpool career.
Give the lad a chance to settle.
Give him a proper pre-season.
Give him time to understand what Andoni Iraola wants from him.
Then we can have a much more meaningful conversation about whether he’s delivering.
Florian Wirtz Is Showing Liverpool Supporters Real Progress
I also think Florian Wirtz has received more criticism than he deserves.
Now, I understand the argument.
Liverpool spent £116 million on him, and when you spend that amount of money, expectations are naturally enormous.
But here’s my problem with judging a player purely through his transfer fee.
What does £116 million worth of football actually look like?
Are we expecting him to score every week? Assist every game? Dominate every opposition midfield?
Because that’s not how football works.
I’ve seen improvements in Wirtz this season, particularly since Iraola came in.
I think he’s moving in the right direction, and I’ve seen enough to believe he has everything required to become a hugely important player for Liverpool.
There have been moments when he’s been unfortunate, and there have been others when his teammates haven’t made the most of what he’s created.
Of course, he still has areas to improve.
But I refuse to write him off because he hasn’t immediately looked like a £116 million footballer.
And there’s another important point here.
I want Wirtz playing as our number ten.
That’s the position where I believe we get the best out of him, and it’s central to how Iraola wants Liverpool to play.
I’ve heard suggestions that we should play Isak and Hugo Ekitike together, perhaps with Ekitike operating as a second striker.
But what happens to Wirtz?
Are we moving our £116 million number ten out of position to accommodate two centre-forwards?
I don’t see the sense in that.
For me, Wirtz plays behind the striker, and Isak and Ekitike compete for the position ahead of him.
That’s healthy competition, and it’s exactly what a club with Liverpool’s ambitions should have.
Alexander Isak’s Goals Deserve More Recognition
Then we come to Alexander Isak.
Ian Rush made an interesting point about him recently, saying: “People say that Isak isn’t getting involved much, but he’s scoring goals and that’s all that matters.”
Now, if anybody knows what makes a good Liverpool striker, it’s Ian Rush.
And I broadly agree with him.
The numbers tell an interesting story.
Last season, Isak scored four goals and registered one assist in 1,032 minutes.
This season, he’s already scored eight goals and provided one assist in 899 minutes.
That’s a significant improvement.
He’s doubled his goals tally in fewer minutes.
So, when people start questioning whether he’s contributing enough, I think we need to acknowledge what he’s actually doing.
He’s putting the ball in the back of the net.
That’s his primary responsibility.
Now, I would disagree slightly with Rushie on one thing.
I don’t think goals are literally all that matters.
I’d still like to see Isak become more involved in Liverpool’s build-up play, improve his combinations with teammates and contribute more consistently outside the penalty area.
There’s room for improvement.
But when your centre-forward is scoring at that rate, surely he’s earned a little patience while the rest of his game develops.
I certainly think so.
And when Ekitike returns, I want the two of them competing for that starting position.
There will be matches where Isak’s qualities are better suited to the opposition, and others where Ekitike might be the better option.
We play enough football to give both opportunities.
I don’t see any reason to tear up the system to squeeze them into the same starting eleven.
Liverpool Need Patience Alongside High Standards
I think there’s a wider issue here about how we judge Liverpool’s recruitment.
We’ve spent enormous sums of money, and I understand why supporters want an immediate return.
But spending money doesn’t remove the need for patience.
We’ve also got to acknowledge the circumstances these players have walked into.
Liverpool have changed managers, changed personnel and changed the way they play.
Some players are further along in their development than others.
Some are adapting to a completely different footballing environment.
And some are already showing clear signs of progress.
I don’t want Liverpool supporters to lower their standards.
I want us challenging for the Premier League and Champions League, and I expect our expensive signings to help get us there.
But I also want us to be fair.
Barcola deserves time.
Wirtz deserves recognition for the improvements he’s making.
And Isak deserves credit for doing the most important thing a striker can do.
We’ve got some outstanding attacking talent at this football club.
I’d much rather spend the next few months helping those players develop than deciding they’ve failed before they’ve had a proper opportunity to succeed.
Because I genuinely believe there’s an awful lot more to come from all three of them.
Much Love.